russell

Things to consider while suggesting that Russell is the Survivor equivalent of the 2007 Patriots:

*I suppose we’ve gotten to the point where we can stop apologizing if every game isn’t a masterpiece and just say a win is a win. I mean, sure, you miss the epic blowouts and the dominating offense, but Spielberg isn’t going to produce a “Jaws” or a “Raiders of the Lost Ark” every time out, and sometimes you’ve got to be content with “The Terminal.”

*But I’m stymied as to why. This offense is the same exact personnel as that unstoppable juggernaut from two years ago. Unless maybe, without us realizing it, Donte Stallworth was really the engine that made the whole thing go.

*If that is the case, I suggest we get Julian Edelman incarcerated with an elaborate escape plan tattooed all over his body and spring Stallworth so we can finally see a 4th quarter 1st down again.

*Dropped passes, lousy route running, allowing Paul Posluzny to grab an interception, his production way, way down. Yup, there’s only one conclusion to draw here. Wes Welker is disgruntled and quit on his team. I’m sure we can look forward to hearing OJ McDuffie say this is the reason they ran him out of Miami.

*The first sign we were in for a less than stellar day was Buffalo’s first drive when Greg Gumbel said “you probably won’t recognize Richie Incognito” and noted Latin scholar Dan Dierdorf didn’t get the joke. I’m sure it killed though during that pre-production dinner with Ryan Fitzpatrick.

*Besides, everyone recognizes Incognito from when he played Augustus Gloop.

*The cockeyed optimist in me is starting to think that maybe the Pats defense is coming around for a solid playoff run. At the very least they dug around the sofa cushions and found the pass rush they lost weeks ago. And I love that presnap no down lineman look. I remember them doing a similar thing against Drew Bledsoe in Buffalo and wondered if we’d ever see it again. It wreaked havoc with the Bills blocking assignments to the point where Fitzpatrick couldn’t even call out the Mike linebacker and guys were coming free virtually every time they ran it.

*Which is a nice little reminder that while sure, Teddy Roosevelt and Henry David Thoreau went to Harvard, so did Al Gore, Bill O’Reilly and the Unabomber.

*Given the way the Pats defense got pushed around on that opening drive, it was actually a remarkable turn around. It was the first time we got to see Ron Brace since the exhibition games, and he was just dominated by double teams on that drive. Ordinarily you’ll see Patriots MLBs reading double teams and hitting the gaps (assuming that’s where the ball is coming most plays) but Mayo and Guyton looked hesitant and were getting caught moving sideways instead of downhill and it looked like it we were in for another natural disaster like the one in New Orleans. But at the moment, I don’t think a little optimism is out of line.

*I understand that the blitz has never been a major tenet in the Tao of Belichick. That “getting after the quarterback” and “moving him off his spot” is the kind of thing empty suits on the NFL panel shows love to say, but sending extra rushers is simply not how the Pats have built a dynasty. But still, it’s a hell of a lot of fun watching Tully Banta-Cain and Derrick Burgess get taken off the leash once in a while.

*Back to the no tackle look. It changed the entire complexion of the game. Prior to that the Pats were in their base 3-4, with 2-deep man under coverage and just getting overpowered, with their line getting knocked off the ball. Once Buffalo was 3rd & goal from the 7 that they broke it out and forced a pass that had zero chance of being completed. They ran it again on 3rd & 12 of the Bills second possession and Rob Ninkovich came free for the sack. It’s obviously something you’re not going to use very often, but it’s been so long since Belichick implemented a scheme that causes QB incontinence, that any new look like this is welcome.

*Brace actually ended up playing about a B- game. He could stand some sand in his pants, and even Vince Wilfork was clueless about how to play nose in the Pats system for a good two years. But when they weren’t doubling him, he more than held his own against Geoff Hangartner on 1st down. Though that facemask that negated Guyton’s sack was unforgivable. That cheap extracurricular stuff might fly at Mary Ann’s on Thirsty Thursday, but in the NFL, they’ll call you for that, pal.

*Though in fairness to Brace, ordinarily at this time of year he’d be getting ready for BC’s annual trip to the prestigious Boise Bowl, so cut him some slack.

*I’ve been meaning to say this for weeks, but Mike Wright is one bad mamma jamma. On the first play after the holding call, he went in at nose, blew past Hangartner untouched on a toss sweep to Fred Jackson and tackled him for a loss. The very next play, back at end, he overpowered Kirk Chambers for a sack. But his best play all year was late in the game when the Pats blitzed on 4th & 8, Fitzpatrick completed it to Josh Reed, who juked Brandon Meriweather and Wright got back to make the tackle 29 yards up field. 29 yards For an interior lineman If this was baseball, someone would have a stat on that, but it’s got to be some kind of a record, right?

*So if Moss is a lazy, dispirited malcontent, why is it he’s still drawing more attention than Rachel Urchitel? There wasn’t a play all game where he went deep without seeing safety help. And I give Bill O’Brien credit for moving him around, getting him inside the numbers running some 3-step drop routes and creating some underneath mismatches for him.

*The Moss TD being Exhibit A. They lined him up at the Y-receiver spot with Edelman at the Z. Moss had Reggie Corner head up on him, Corner blitzed, Edelman ran a 10 yard square in, which made Terrance McGee jump the route and left Moss wide open. It was a beautifully designed play and an example of what would happen every time a team doesn’t assign two guys to stop Moss.

*And it makes you wonder what would happen if they had another deep threat. Sam Aiken can run with anyone, but it’s pretty clear by now he’s got the hands of a career special teamer. Seriously, the way he muffed that onsides kick, it wouldn’t surprise me to find out he has Oswald Cobblepot-like flippers for hands.

*So just to clarify the Brady Rule: Wilfork can hit a QB square in the numbers, that’s a penalty. Aaron Schobel dives at the World’s Most Precious Reconstructed Knee, that’s not a penalty. I’m looking forward to hear the Mike “Minister of Propaganda” Peirrera explain that one.

*And Dierdorf can shut his bratwurst hole blaming Kevin Faulk for that Schobel play. I’d trust Faulk to protect my kids from a bear attack.

*Another nice wrinkle they added on offense was running the ball out of the trip set, which has always been a passing formation for them. On the last play of the 1st, they ran it on 1st down, with Chris Baker pulling into the opposite side B gap, blowing up Chris Draft and springing Maroney for 9. As far as I can tell, they ran out of the same formation about a half dozen times and got decent yardage every time.

*And while LoMo’s numbers don’t exactly make you weep like Salieri reading the “Marriage of Figaro” sheet music, he’s picking up tough yards on a regular basis. There’ve been times I wouldn’t count on him to run a loaf of Butter Top through the pre-blizzard crowd in the Stop & Shop bread aisle, but he’s fighting through the line better than he ever has in his career.

*Either Junior Seau is getting more reps now, or Vs is taping a special inside linebacker episode of “Sports Jobs.”

*Do you think that out of all the speeches, press releases, position papers and conferences that were delivered in Copenhagen, there’s one person there who can explain to me how, on a day when my snowblower chose a coward’s death and I spent three hours shoveling, it was pleasant and sunny in Buffalo? I want global warming and I want it now.